Whitby Shores Community Forums

I would LOVE it if this would be a french immersion school. We're planning on attending F.M. Heard but I just read this morning in the paper that it may be closing!

I am sooo happy we got a school but 5 years??? my oldest will be high school by then and my second kid will be in grade 7...barely able to appreciate it. I am hapyy though...just wanted to state a fact for some of us parents who have kids in later grades....I have been here sine 2002 and know exactly how long we have been fighting for a school.

Congrats !!!

Hello all,

The board will be working on the accomodation plan in June so we should have a better idea shortly afterwards on the size of the school. Perhaps there may be some rezoning?

Nancy and I (others are welcome) plan to present a simple thank you at the board, and ask a couple of next logical questions, ie, confirm opening 2010, size, etc.

Does anyone know when would any sort of closing of FM Heard would happen? A couple years? My DD starts JK this fall and I really don't want to send her to FM Heard only to have her change schools in a year. If it would be closed by 2009-2010 then I would consider keeping DD is daycare another year. But I would need to know by Thursday as that's when daycare registration is due! What are the chances of them making an announcement tomorrow?

I would hope that the French immersion be in the Whitby Shores area - which would keep the school area south of Rossland Road. But realistically Brooklin is sometimes seen as the "favourite" so maybe they'll get it. Plus the two schools in Brooklin sound like they are already being planned and their opening may coincide better with the FM Heard closure.

Iin the Durham news:

http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/Breakin...icle/97969

- 425 pupil school for Whitby Shores
- Dual Track French Immersion school North Whtiby

I'm still dancing my "happy dance" about the school so congrats to everyone who over the past 8 plus years have been working on this. My youngest will be the only one attending after all this time but that's ok because it makes this community even better, especially if it has a community focus. I'd encourage those who are going to work with the Board to look at a few things.
1/Ground source heat pump for heating and cooling system and solar panels for power. Let's face it, if you keep the cost down it will be more economical in the long haul.
2/Outdoor playground that isn't metal but is based around a natural environment and yes even concrete with tunnels, sitting areas on rocks and shaded areas with trees. Great examples exist so don't let the newness of the idea preclude the exploration options.
3/Daycare/drop in centre. I know other schools in Durham have them, but this neighbourhood is commuter based and isn't going to change so this needs to be included. Also, a drop in centre is not only for the little kids, it can be for the pre-teen and yes (believe me they all grow up) a teenager user friendly environment, as well as seniors.
4/Make it a Community School which equates to evening programing including dodgeball, basketball, floorhockey, fitness classes and a barage of other activities that are organized in cooperation with the community school programs. West Lynde isn't used in this fashion but other schools are.
5/ Year round school. I know, some people hate this option but talking to parents in Brooklin about it , I think it really is a great utilization of the building and encourages a better learning environment without the long summer break. Also, holiday breaks are easier to schedule for get aways cause you get some breaks when others aren't travelling!
Hope this sparks others with ideas.
I'm not a big fan of the French Immersion school as I lived in Ottawa and have seen the split that exists with this type of environment. We aren't going to get a full Immersion school and with the numbers I suspect we would be a feeder school if this occured with bus loads coming into the neighbourhood. I'd just be happy with a Jk-8 neighbourhood community school that welcomes everyone and encourages special afterschool options by private individuals who rent space including all sorts of language training including Dutch, German, French, Hebrew, Chinese, Urdu, etc, etc, etc.
Get the bricks, morter, backhoes and lets get started!

The article mentioned a dual track french immersion in North Ajax (Taunton Road and Audley Road) but didn't say anything about french immersion in Whitby.

I live in the Tribute Imagination Community in Ajax which is next to the Hamlet Community where one of the proposed schools is to be built.  A couple of weeks ago they began grading the land for the school and this morning I saw that they had brought the main facilities beyond the property line so they seem to be on track for a 2009 opening in my neck of the woods.  I'm not sure why WS is getting the short end of the stick considering you guys have been waiting for a school for 10 years. The Hamlet is only 3 years new.  They're still building and selling houses there and here in our community so why does WS have to wait until 2010?  

Doesn't seem right to me...

When I "Thanked" the DDSB in a June session they had indicated the funds are secure and contruction would start next year, taking about a year to complete. We should here more in the coming months regarding how the new school will look.

Actually the Catholic School Board still has the first rights on the west side of the school property that backs onto the Public School property. There were two designated school areas for both a public and catholic school. In the initial stages the four developers set aside lands for this purpose, as required by the municipality. All in all, over time the two other properties were released and voila more homes so we now only have the two left.
As the new school year starts I sure hope they look at this new school with all the varied dynamics this community has, which includes a high commuter rate so need for daycare, interest in environmental designs which will make it cost efficient and blend in with the natural environment and design offered by the lakeside living, as well as walking/bike riding traffic and car drop off areas.
Suspect it will just be another box as the DDSB hasn't really been proactive in this environmental building design up till now.
Time will tell, and this may be very soon too as 2010 isn't that far away.